Lee Cohen has helped many people experience the joy of self-expression through art, from children living in Costa Rican garbage dumps to children with disabilities in Miami. She is the founder and president of The House of Healing, a non-profit organization that provides children and their families with an opportunity to express themselves through the transformative power of art. The House of Healing has grown so much that they will soon be looking for new space to expand. In the future, Lee would like to focus more on supporting parents, who often suffer from burnout and need the same fun and fulfillment their children find in art. The House of Healing uses recycled materials for art projects, weaving sustainability into the expressive arts. Terril Shorb’s Children and Nature course planted the seed of an idea to create a nature space at the House of Healing.

What stood out to Lee most about her education at Prescott College were the relationships. Faculty members encouraged her, boosted her self-esteem, and helped her realize she was doing something meaningful in the world. She passes this enthusiasm on to the children and families with whom she now works. Lee credits Ellen Greenblum with helping her gain the observation and writing skills that were essential for her licensure as a Registered Expressive Arts Consultant/Educator through the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association.

Lee is currently planning on attending graduate school in art therapy and finishing a children’s book, which she intends to dedicate to one of her most influential professors, Dr. Vicky Young.